Imaginibbles

Like me, my father is a serial idea tinkerer. He can’t help but constantly come up with new ideas and I must admit, and I’m not saying this just because he is my father, most of his ideas are pretty amazing. In fact, in the 80s, he came up with the Yo-ball (yo yo that always comes back) after I walked into his office and told him I couldn’t get my Yo Yo to work. This morning he was telling me about a real estate idea that was the culmination of really random pieces of knowledge. It got both of us thinking about one of the building blocks of being imaginative – CONNECTING. If you recall, connecting is about going wide with your knowledge and putting together seemingly disparate pieces of information to create something new, something imaginative. Great imaginators often tap this skill.

The question we asked ourselves was, “how do you foster that ability if it doesn’t come naturally?” My dad said something that was obvious and brilliant all at the same time. He said, “look to the stars.” Space is the ultimate study in disparate elements that come together for something greater. There are planets, moons, orbiting of the sun, lifecycles of stars and ultimately how we on Earth fit into that big picture.

If you are looking to foster your imaginative self and become a better connector, I suggest taking a day and studying things that are inherently based on great and fragile relationships. Get curious about areas that naturally bring together distinct elements to paint a whole picture. Here are a few areas to spark the curiosity and help your brain go far and wide.

Whether you are 5 or 105 years old, this is a truly interactive way to tap into your imaginative side.

1) Planetarium: Go to an afternoon showing. Being a part of the show is spectacular. There is nothing that gets the connections flowing like a few hours under the stars. Soak in how each planet has its own personality and how those personalities compliment and connect.

2)Aquarium: Water holds within it a vast network of life. The relationships between all the pieces are delicate and astounding. Notice how fish interact, their relationship with plant life and so on. Individually they are fascinating and together it functions as a big system of life.

3)Architecture exhibit: Architecture, especially eco-design, can be a study in relationships and multidisciplinary knowledge. You must understand design, function, usability, people, nature, surroundings, weather, etc. All of these are studies in themselves and together they create something even greater.

Dream Big. Dream Often. Garggle at night!

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